no. 7.231

Xeriscaping: Perennials and Annual Flowers

Quick Facts...

Nurseries carry a greater selection of native and adapted water wise perennials and annuals than ever before.

Wider plant availability supports new directions in western flower gardens.

Use this list of perennial and annual plants as a tool for exploring expanded garden possibilities.

Wet climate landscapes have molded perceptions of flower gardens and ingrained the names of the flowers they contain through literature, painting, photography and more. Dry climate gardens by contrast often have evoked images of sparseness and scarcity. No more.

A new view of water wise gardens has evolved from the creativity and experimentation of gardeners. It is supported by the wider availability of native and adapted plants from high altitude dry climates around the world. Plant marketing efforts from nurseries and the Plant Select® program have fostered this plant revolution. Plant Select® seeks to identify and distribute plants best for intermountain and high plains gardens (www.plantselect.org)

Growing on less water does not mean water wise gardens are lacking. They can be colorful, include a wide variety of plants, and delight as much as the traditional English garden border. They can also be subtle and evocative of the wide open skies and intense light of the natural western landscape.

Grasses, perennials and wildflowers native to the Rocky Mountain West are frequently found in the modern Colorado flower garden. Annuals easy on water use are seasonally mixed in. Introduced plants from the high and dry areas of the Andes, Himalayas, the Middle East and South Africa are often included. This list of perennials and annuals includes native and adapted plants for the water wise flower garden. Use it as a tool to explore the expanded garden possibilities in the West.

For additional plant suggestions, see other native plant and xeriscape fact sheets available from Colorado State University Extension.